The Story in Plain English...

Baba Mezi'a 59b

One day Rabbi Joshua and Rabbi Eliezer were having a halachic argument over the purity of a specialized oven. Rabbi Eliezer brought them all the evidence he possibly could to legitimize his argument but Rabbi Joshua Rejected him. Upon being rejected, Rabbi Eliezer said to Rabbi Joshua, "if the halacha is with me, then let the carob tree prove it!" to which the carob tree uprooted itself and moved 100 cubits. Some say 400 cubits. Rabbi Joshua responded by saying that one cannot prove anything from a carob tree. Rabbi Eliezer then said to him, "then if the halacha is with me, let the stream prove it!" to which the water responded by flowing in the opposite direction. Rabbi Joshua responded by saying that one cannot prove anything with a stream. Rabbi Eliezer then said," then if the halacha is with me, let these walls prove it!" to which the walls of the room began to cave in. Rabi Joshua then rebuked the walls by saying that the walls had no authority in a a halachic debate. The walls then stood at angles in respect to both of the rabbis. Finally, Rabbi Eliezer said," if the halacha is with me, then may it be proven by heaven!" In response to this, a voice came down from heaven and said to Rabbi Joshua, "why do you argue with Rabbie Eliezer? The Halacha is in accordance with him in every way". Rabbi Joshua said to the heavenly voice," The Torah is not in heaven so we take no notice of heavenly voices since you have already written in the Torah to follow the majority." The heavenly voice then exclaimed with delight, " my sons have defeated me, my sons have defeated me!". After this, Rabbi Eliezer was excommunicated from the group.